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Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Thing #1 I Learned about Revision

I finally turned my revisions in to Michael, and so I thought it'd be fun to do a series of posts about things I learned along the way.

To start things off:

Thing 1: I can't rely on dreams for book ideas.

It's often the first question someone asks a writer: "Where do you get your ideas?"

For me, the answer is, I have no idea. But I'll tell you where they don't come from: My dreams. Some authors can transcribe dreams about sparkly vamps in a meadow, word for word, and turn them into best-sellers. Not me.

I fell asleep as I was brainstorming ideas for a book I haven't written yet. (Part of my assignment from my agent). As I slept, I dreamed the following:

I go to the store, and - on a whim - buy a little boy, about 4 inches tall. We bring him home, and put him in a hamster cage. After a few years, the boy grows too big for his cage, but we still keep him in it for fear that if we let him out, it would mean we have a third child, and I never wanted a third child.

When guests would come over, we'd throw a sheet over the cage, because it would be awkward if -- during the salad course -- they noticed we kept a three-year old boy in a hamster cage.

Needless to say, this is not what I turned into my agent. Unfortunately the strangest thing about the dream is the fact that I made a home-cooked meal and actually invited guests over to share.

As you can see, I get no inspiration from dreams.

So, my first revision tip would be: Expect to do your best work when you're awake.

Since I still don't have a full first draft, I, also, am forced to talk about work, where I revise memoranda and briefs. I've learned that a second pair of eyes is always helpful to catch the typos, etc, that your own brain skims over because, hey--I know what I mean!

So, no book about tiny pet children will be forthcoming as Brodi Ashton's sophomore novel? So sad!

Brodi, you are a hoot. Did the little guy get a hampster wheel? Please say yes, or was he all crammed into the corners with square wire indents in his skin? Maybe if you provided your agent with more details he could get the big picture. He he.